Of Homes Lost And Found: Nora and Ren Moving Forward From Kuroyuri
by S. Morgan Cargile
Summary: This attempts to tell a possible backstory for Nora Valkyrie. How did the terrified, cowering girl in Kuroyuri transform into the energetic, confident girl we meet in the first episode of RWBY? How does a poverty-stricken, homeless girl make it all the way to Beacon Academy?
1. Chapter 1

Two children, a boy and a girl, slept alone in the forest on tattered blankets.

She screamed in her sleep. He woke up and rubbed his eyes. She yelled, "No, please no."

She sobbed. Her copper hair drenched with sweat, her pale skin ghostly white. He put his hand on her shoulder and she stopped crying. She slept quietly again.

He closed his eyes in concentration. He didn't sense any Grimm nearby, but heard footsteps approaching.

He shook her. "Nora. Wake up."

She bolted straight up, her aquamarine eyes shining brightly in the moonlight.

"Calm," he said, holding her arm.

A man dressed swinging a metal baton with a wooden handle walked up to their camp. The two children stood up.

"Whatcha got, kids? Not much lien, I'm guessin'. Any food?"

"No food, no money," said Ren, stepping in front of Nora, slowly shrinking behind him. Ren was a small, thin boy, with black hair and pale skin, dressed in ill-fitting silk clothes that told the story of a rich kid who hadn't seen money or decent shelter in many months.

"Huh. That's too bad."

The man swung the baton at Ren's head. Ren ducked, covering his head with his hands. The man jabbed Ren with the end of the baton. It landed on the side of Ren's small torso and sent a shock through his body. Ren fell to the ground. His black hair fell over his face, his small body shook, then went limp.

Nora froze. The man jabbed her with the baton. She gasped, grabbed the baton and broke it in half. The man looked down at the broken baton, then again at Nora. "Huh?" he said.

Nora closed her eyes and kicked, landing her foot on his knee. His leg cracked. As he fell she kicked again, this time making contact with his chest throwing him up into the air. As he lifted, she hit his torso with one end of the broken staff sending him flying into a tree, knocking him unconscious. She lifted the broken ends of the baton to hit him but felt a hand on her shoulder.

Tears streaming down Nora's face, her body shaking, she looked up at a small woman smiling down at her. Nora jumped away from the woman, like releasing the tension on a spring. She held up the two ends of the staff, awkwardly mimicking a fighting stance.

The woman help up both hands in a gesture of playful surrender, still smiling.

Nora took several sideways steps towards Ren, keeping her eyes locked on the woman's.

Nora knelt next to Ren, still watching the woman. She pulled one of his arms around her shoulder. With a grunt, Nora hefted Ren onto her shoulders and back in a fireman-carry position. She walked slowly backwards, maintaining eye contact with the woman. The woman stood still, smiling with her hands still up. Nora turned and ran into the woods, running between trees and bushes until she collapsed, panting and coughing. She looked back. The woman was gone. She couldn't see the camp anymore.

"Ren," she said, shaking him. "Ren, please wake up."

His eyes fluttered open. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

"I…I don't know." Nora said through ragged sobs.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, I just ran. There was a man and…"

"Slow down, you're okay now." Ren said, putting a hand on Nora's shoulder. Her breathing slowed down. She wiped the tears from her eyes. She took a deep breath and sighed, sitting with her knees bent in front of her.

"He hit you with his stick and you fell down and he hit me and I got some kind of shock. I got shaky all over and my heart was beating so fast and I closed my eyes and just started kicking as hard as I could. Then I opened my eyes, I hit him with his stick and he hit a tree, I think that knocked him out. A woman came but she just watched and I grabbed you and ran and now I don't know where we are. And all our stuff is gone and it's all my fault and I'm so sorry, I just didn't know what do it."

Nora grasped her ankles in her hands. Her head hung low between her knees. She panted and coughed, breathing rapidly.

"You took action. You were brave. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay. I'm proud of you."

"Really?"

"Really. Let's go find our belongings. Do you remember which direction you ran?"

"I think it was back that way," she said, pointing.

They followed a path of broken branches and smashed plants back to their campsite.

"I don't understand. Everything is still here, exactly as we left it." said Ren.

"Maybe it was the woman. Maybe she chased off the man. She didn't say anything. I ran, just to be safe, but she didn't try to hurt us. She just..smiled, and watched. She didn't do anything."

"If we leave now, we should reach my aunt and uncle's village before nightfall. The sun is beginning to rise. Do you think you can walk?" he asked.

"Yeah. My body still feels all weird and shaky, but let's get out of here. That man might come back." she said.

"Let's get moving," said Ren, looking towards the horizon as the sky began to glow. "If we don't find food soon…"

"I know," said Nora.

* * *

"Wake up, idiot," said the small woman from the woods, kicking her partner in the ribs.

"What the…what the hell just happened?"

"You just got your butt kicked by a kid."

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"I was curious. Your baton didn't work on her. I wanted to see what she could do."

"What are we waiting for? Let's get 'em!"

"They won't get far."

"Neither will I on this broken leg."

"You look pathetic. I shouldn't reward such failure, but I'll let you ride the horse just so you don't slow us down."

* * *

As the sun began to set, Nora and Ren found the sign pointing towards Ren's relative's village.

"I see smoke ahead. Is that coming from…?" Nora's voiced trailed off.

"I guess we'll find out." he said.

"That's a lot of smoke. I think I hear screaming."

"Quiet." said Ren.

He pulled Nora under a tree as a Nevermore soared overhead. They held each other until the Nevermore passed.

Res and Nora crept closer to the village. They climbed a tree close to the perimeter wall.

Bandits and villagers battled in the streets. The Nevermore circled overhead.

"See the Grimm flying overhead? It's the bad feelings that bring the Grimm. See all the fighting and the scared kids? That's why it's here." said Ren.

"But why?"

"I don't know. My parents never told me that part, before they…you know."

"Before we found each other. Before you said we'd keep each other safe," Nora said, inching closer to Ren on the branch.

Ren nodded. "I can't talk. I have to focus."

"To keep the Grimm from seeing us?"

He nodded.

Nora and Ran watched a bandit smashing through the window of a grocery, climbing through, then climb out with a full canvas bag.

A village man in front of an armor shop shot at bandits with a shotgun. One, two, three men fell to the ground. A woman from window above shot anyone approaching their shop with a rifle. A circle of bodies lay motionless in front of the man and woman's shop. A bandit woman ran past with a shield, deflecting the bullets from rifle as another bandit woman ran in the opposite direction shielding herself from the shotgun.

A third bandit woman ran straight between the two and with a gun, shot a chain into a nearby tree. A hook latched onto a branch. The two women with shields changed directions, firing pistols over their shields as they ran towards each other, continuing to take fire from the shopkeepers.

The woman with the hook pressed a button on her gun; the chain pulled her up into the tree. From the tree she threw a glowing orb into an upper level window. She shot the man firing the shotgun with an sniper rifle. The woman above the shop screamed as the bomb exploded, throwing her from the building. The two shielded women moved on to the next shop. A large man with canvas bags entered the shop then exited, his bags filled with weapons and armor.

A toddler stumbled alone in the street crying. A bandit man, already carrying one child over his shoulder like a sack of flour, grabbed the toddler and threw the child over his other shoulder. He dropped them both into the back of a horse-drawn cart.

The woman pulling the cart looked at the smaller of the two. "Too young to be useful. Leave 'er here."

"If she can walk, she can fetch water." he said. "Take her."

The Nevermore circling overhead landed on the perimeter wall. A pack of Beowolves streamed through the broken gate. An Ursa plowed through the rock wall. The Ursa grabbed a bandit, shook her in it's mouth, then threw her against a building. The pack of Beowolves surrounded a group of fleeing villagers. Humans and Faunus on both sides of the battle turned towards the attacking Grimm.

The raid leader shouted through a speaker, "Grimm! Fall back!"

Nora and Ren, still and silent, watched dozens of bandits fleeing beneath them, some on horses pulling carts, some on foot. One raced ahead on a motorcycle. The Nevermore flew overhead following the fleeing bandits. Beowolves chased the villagers fleeing the village. Two more Ursa arrived, smashing into stores, searching for survivors. As the Beowolves disappeared with the fleeing villagers, the three Ursa remained, wandering the empty streets, then disappeared from the children's sight.

"What now?" asked Ren.

"We wait until we're sure that the Grimm are gone." said Nora.

* * *

At sunrise, the pair quietly climbed down from their refuge in the tree. They peeked through a crack in the village wall. "I don't think anyone, or any Grimm, is still here, Ren."

"We should keep moving, go around the village."

"No, Ren, we can't. I'm scared, but I'm hungry and so are you. We haven't eaten for days. We need food, we need supplies. If we don't eat soon, we won't have the energy to keep moving. What about your aunt and uncle's house? Even if they got out in time, they couldn't have taken everything."

"The bandits took everything." Ren said, shaking his head.

"No, the Grimm came before they had a chance. I've done this before. It's scary, but we have to try. We need to eat."

Nora and Ren slipped through the crack in the wall and quietly crept through the deserted village.

"We have to be fast. If they didn't already take everything, the bandits may come back," said Ren.

"Do you know where your aunt and uncle's house is?" asked Nora.

"No, I was too young when my parents brought me here. Look, this house still has windows. Maybe the bandits didn't get to it in time."

They found the front door unlocked. Lights flickered in the entryway. The electricity in the village, at least somewhat, still functioned. Lights were on, but dim, throughout the house. Nora jumped at a shadow that seemed to move as the lights faded on and off.

"I'll get food and lien, you get first aid - medicine, bandages - and blankets. Look for bigger, sturdier backpacks. And shoes. You need shoes." Nora said, pointing Ren's outgrown sandals.

"No, we stick together," said Ren.

Nora filled her pack with jars of preserved fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese wrapped in cloth, loaves of bread, and cured fish.

In closets they found ornate travel luggage, but no backpacks. On beds they found fine silk and linen.

"The silk is okay, but no cotton," said Nora. "We need wool. Wood stays warm when it's wet. We need a general goods store."

Nora rifled through drawers.

"But what if the owners come back? We can't just take their things."

"They won't come back." said Nora.

"I know," said Ren. "It still feels wrong. I like it better when we find work. I hate doing this."

"We've been lucky. We've run into a lot of nice people, but sometimes you have to do this. You have to take things to survive," said Nora.

Ren nodded and looked away; his cheeks reddened. He continued searching.

Ren looked under a mattress. "No, it won't be there. No one hides it there." Nora said, shaking her head.

Ren cocked his head. "Hides what?"

"Lien. It'll be someplace weird, like this." she said as she lifted a loose board under a chair. She pulled out a box with a small stack of lien and a few pieces of heirloom jewelry.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I've been on my own…for a long time." she said.

In the village center they found ransacked stores. On the edge of town, right before the back gate, they found a fueling station with food, woolen bedrolls, larger backpacks, canteens, and first aid kits. A cash register was still full of lien.

"Doesn't this seem too convenient?" asked Ren.

"Yeah, it does, but it's a store for travelers, and this is stuff for travelers, so maybe it's okay. Let's just take what we need and get out of here." said Nora.

"This is stealing," said Ren.

"I know, but the owners might be dead," said Nora. "I feel bad about it, too. But this should last us for a few weeks if we're careful, longer if we find clean water. That should be enough time to find another job on a farm or something."

* * *

From the top of the perimeter wall the man said to the small woman from the campsite, "Why not just take them? Why are you helping them?"

"I'm not taking a slave. I'm recruiting a solider."

She watched Ren and Nora, smiling, as they walked away from the village. She deftly leapt from the wall, landing without a sound. She followed behind from a safe distance.


	2. Chapter 2

The small woman, sat perched on a barstool. Her straight, black hair fell to her waist, as sleek as a silk veil. Her amethyst eyes appeared to match her hair, revealing only a hint of color when the light hit the iris at the right angle. Her feet dangled several inches above the floor. From behind, one might wonder why a child wore a katana sheathed at her waist. Even her face seemed supernaturally youthful, her eyes large, her ivory skin unblemished.

The patrons kept a wide berth, whispering as their tables.

"She's a witch. I heard she steals children."

"Oh, you're just jealous."

"There's no face cream on remnant that will give you that skin. I can promise you that."

"I heard that she…"

The speaker stopped in mid-sentence as the small woman turned towards her, smiling serenely. The speaker quickly looked down, quivering.

"Violet…so good…uh…such a pleasure, I mean, such an honor to see you, to serve you again." said the bartender. "What can I do for you."

"I have a favor to ask."

She leaned forward, her black crystal necklace chiming with movement.

"Tomorrow, two children will come to this inn. I want them to stay for a few days. Offer them jobs, give them rooms. Keep them here until I get back."

She slid a picture across the bar.

"Yes, of course, ma'am."

She dropped a small stack of lien on the bar. "That should cover the cost of their accommodations and their…supervision."

"Oh, no need for payment, ma'am. I am happy to show my gratitude whenever I can."

"Keep it, Sable. I would prefer to keep our arrangement…simple."

She slid off the stool, her smile fading as she stared into the barkeep's eyes. "You will not disappoint me."

"No, of course not, ma'am."

"I know." she said, drawing her black hood over her head as she, smiled, nodded and left the inn.

* * *

The two children sat under a tree, watching villagers walking in and out of the village gate, pulling carts or riding horses.

"Well, now that my only family left is either dead or missing, I don't know where we will go." said Ren.

"Before I met you, I was on my way to Mistral, but I got kicked of the train."

"Why were you going to Mistral?"

"There's a school there, Sanctum Academy. And it's free. They have dormitories and cafeterias. And they teach you how to fight." said Nora.

"To become huntsmen?"

"Yeah, I mean, if there had been a huntsmen around when the Grimm attacked her village, my grandmother would be alive, so maybe if I was a huntress, that doesn't have to happen to another village. Maybe if I could fight I wouldn't be so scared all the time. And you know, having a place to live and regular meals and all would be pretty nice, too. So, yeah, I figured if I could get into Sanctum, that'd be a pretty sweet deal."

"Do you know how hard it is to get into Sanctum?" asked Ren.

"No."

"Maybe when my parents were still alive, when I still had tutors, the best tutors, maybe then it would have been possible. Now? For us? Impossible."

"I can't even read." said Nora, pulling her knees into her chest.

"I could teach you."

"Really?" Nora looked up at Ren.

"We have some lien now. Let's see if we can find a book in that village."

* * *

"Hey kids," called a well dressed man standing near the inside of the village gate. "Looking for work?"

"What kind of work?" Ren asked.

"Honest work. No trouble. All on the up and up. We've had a lot of travelers and could use some help at the Inn. Room and board included."

Nora shrugged. "It would be nice to sleep indoors for a change."

* * *

"Hey boss, I found the help you're looking for."

The innkeeper threw the man a few cards of lien on the bar. The man smiled, nodding his head as he took the cards and left the Inn.

"We have a lot of hungry guests wanting breakfast. How old are you kids?"

Ren opened his mouth, but Nora grabbed his wrist and shook her head.

"Ah well, old enough to help out. Got names?"

"I'm Nora and he's Ren."

"Okay, Ren, you head back to the kitchen. Peach is gonna teach you how to make pancakes. Hey Goldie, how about you show our new serving girl how it's done?"

"Right on it, boss!" said the cheerful blonde waitress. "Let's get you an apron, red."

"Her name is Nora." said Ren.

"It's okay, I'll be okay." said Nora to Ren.

Ren looked back at Nora as he followed the Innkeeper towards the kitchen. "I'll be okay," Nora said again.

* * *

At dusk, Nora, expertly held an armful of mugs filled to the brim with ale, gracefully weaving in-between standing patrons almost twice her height to a table of laughing men and women. She passed out the drinks then ducking between groups of guests, returned to the bar to collect another waiting tray.

"Not bad, Red," said Goldie. "You're a quick study. I've never seen a kid carrying so many steins at once."

"Thanks." Nora said, wrapping her hands around the handles of the steins, pushing her way back through the crowd. She set her heavy load onto a packed table. Immediately, a man fell onto her from behind, landing on a table of ale and food. The guests at the table stood up, yelling in protest. She pushed herself off the table of spilt glasses and ducked under the table, narrowly missing a punch from a couple of brawling men. The inn's patrons backed away, leaving Nora cowering under the table now dripping with spilled food and drink.

"How dare you. I can't believe they even let you enter this establishment!" shouted a man wearing formal Mistral attire.

A man, wearing older, tattered garb said, "You think you can push me around 'cause you think you're better than me. I don't care how much money you have, I worked a long day and I deserve my ale."

"You're a liar and a thief. Give me back my wallet. The only work you've done all day is pick pockets. I'm no tourist. I know who you are."

"I didn't take your wallet, ya drunk idiot."

The larger man wearing the tattered clothes took a swing at the diminutive man in a Mistral robe. The smaller man leaned sightly, dodging the punch, swept the larger man off his feet with a swirling kick and punched him down onto the table as the larger man fell backwards. As he hit the table, the table legs broke. The full weight of the table top and the large man fell directly onto Nora.

A nearby woman, dressed in tall brown boots over tan fitted pants, a red vest and a golden yellow cloak, appeared behind the two men. She grabbed the standing man by the collar, shouted, "Make a hole!"

The guests parted to either side of the room. Holding onto the collar of the man's shirt and his belt, she lifted him off the ground and threw him out the door like a bale of hay. She pulled the disoriented man off the table by the edges of his jacket, drug him to the door and threw him into a puddle of mud. He jumped back to his feet and ran at her as she stood at the door. He pulled his arm back to punch the woman, but she pulled out a staff from her cloak and hit him in the chest before his fist could reach her. She spun her staff, hitting the man in the jaw, continued to spin her staff hitting the other side of his face as he began to fall. He stood up, began to charge again. She smiled, twirling her staff. With clenched fists he muttered obscenities and stumbled away from the inn, disappearing into the darkness.

The formal man stood with his chest puffed forward. "How dare you treat me like a common criminal?"

"Next time, take it outside. Go home, sleep it off."

She set her staff into the ground and raised an eyebrow. He turned and walked away into the darkness, muttering about how sorry she'd be.

The woman ran back to the table, but before she could lift it, Nora kicked it off of her with enough force to hit the ceiling, shattering the table into splinters. The room went silent. Nora lay on the floor shaking.

"Nice having a huntress around to deal with the riff-raff. Maybe I could talk you into sticking around for awhile?" said the Innkeeper, laughing.

The huntress helped Nora up to standing, grabbed a towel and wiped food off her face.

"No thanks, but I will take a room for the night. I think the girl has finished her shift." The huntress stated flatly, throwing a few lien on the bar. The innkeeper threw the huntress a key with a room number etched onto it.

"Yes, yes, she and the boy are done for the night. Ren, Nora you can go up to your room."

The huntress reached for Nora, who drew away, shaking. Ren rushed to Nora's side. "I can help her." he said.

"Let me help you, then" the huntress said to Ren.

He nodded. They both took an arm and helped Nora up to standing. "Can you walk?" Ren asked Nora.

"Uh huh," she said, nodding and shaking.

* * *

In their room, Nora shrunk away from the woman, hiding behind Ren.

"My name is Saffron. I just want to make sure that you are okay. Can I check? I promise that I won't hurt you."

Nora came out from behind Ren, moving towards Saffron. Saffron had warm skin, the color of masala chai tea, golden eyes and dark auburn hair. Saffron took off her red cloak, laying it across one of the two beds in the room. "Please, come sit," she said, gesturing to Nora.

The huntress examined Nora's arms, legs and back. "Nothing seems to be broken. You are an exceptionally strong little girl. But you will need a shower."

Nora touched her beer soaked hair and blushed.

"How did you do that?" asked Ren.

"I don't know." said Nora.

"Do you know what aura is?" asked Saffron

Nora shook her head. "No," said Nora.

"I suspect that your aura helped you survive on your own. It helps to shield us from danger. People say that it is a manifestation of our souls, but I believe it is more than that. It is like a skill. Some of us are born naturally gifted, but that isn't enough. We must train. Our auras grow stronger with use and practice. You, Nora, have been on your own for a very long time, yes?"

Nora nodded. "How did you know?"

"I've known children like you. I have a feeling for these things." said Saffron.

"Your aura tells you when to look, when to hide, when to run. It helps absorb a hit. I think you've taken a lot of hits in your life. Yes?"

Nora nodded. "I guess, yeah."

"Your aura is exceptionally strong. Perhaps you have been unknowingly strengthening it for quite a long time. You took quite a hit back there, without even a scratch. And then you destroyed that heavy table. Perhaps your strength has something to do with your semblance. Your aura fuels your semblance. These two things are connected. Do you know about semblance?"

"No," said Nora shaking her head.

Saffron held Nora's face in her hands staring into Nora's aquamarine eyes. Nora looked back, blinking.

"You look familiar…you remind me of an old friend. Your mother, was she a huntress?"

"I don't know. She died when I was really young."

"Do you remember anything about her?"

"Sometimes I dream about her."

"She does," said Ren. "She talks about her in her sleep. She asks when her mother is returning "

"I see," said Saffron. "And your father, do you remember anything about him?"

"No."

Saffron looked at Ren.

"She never says anything about her father." Ren replied.

"Do you remember any of your relatives?"

"There was my grandmother, Grandma Rose, but she was killed in a Grimm attack."

"Do you know how to fight?"

"No," said Nora, shaking her head, looking down at the floor.

"And you've survived on your own?"

"Well, there were other kids from the village and we travelled together, but they were taken by bandits. I hid. I was alone for a long time. Then I met Ren."

"Would you like to learn to fight?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to travel with me, perhaps stay with me for awhile? Until I can find a suitable home for you?" asked Saffron.

"Only if Ren can come with me. I need him."

"I assure you that I can keep you safe."

"No. It's more than that. He helps when I'm scared. I have to stay with Ren."

"Very well. Ren, would you like to travel with us?"

"Why do you want to help Nora?" he asked.

"If I'm right about who she is, her mother helped me when I was a huntress-in-training. She became a mentor to me, for awhile. I would consider it a debt repaid."

"We need to moment to talk, privately. If you don't mind." said Ren.

"Of course. I'll be downstairs waiting for your decision in the morning. There is much I would like to teach you, Nora. I hope that you will give me the opportunity."

Saffron bowed and left Nora and Ren alone, staring at each other silently.


	3. Chapter 3

"I promised Violet that I'd keep 'em here. You know what she'll do to me if I let 'em go."

"You aren't letting anything, Sable. I'm only telling you what I've already decided to do, as a courtesy, because I believed that these children were your employees. Had I known that you were holding them for Violet, I never would have said anything to you at all. If you think that I will let Violet take Mist's daughter…"

"I didn't even know why Violet wanted me to keep 'em here. It's better not to ask questions. Besides, you aren't even sure that she's Mist's daughter. Why cause trouble?"

"I'm sorry that you're a tight spot with a bandit tribe; that was a bad deal. You got involved with the wrong kind of protection. But I won't let this girl pay for your mistakes."

"We needed help. Without a huntsman, Violet's tribe could have attacked, but that's the deal we made. It's not protection; it's an alliance."

"Meanwhile, Violet's tribe raids the villages around you. Grimm attack the villages around you. What makes your lives more valuable than theirs? Your deal was short-sighted and selfish. You had other options. You could have hired a huntsman or several for what you're paying her tribe, and for what? To serve her?"

"Meanwhile those villages form alliances with other tribes. That's the problem with you; everything is good or evil. That's not how the world works. I'm just trying to protect my guests and the village."

"You mean protect your profits. You pay them so that they won't attack you, so that travelers will stay here instead of the inn at the next village. You're not just paying with lien, you're paying with blood. You're complicit in their crimes. You're no better than any of Violet's lackeys."

"And those other villages are no more pious than ours. We're all just trying to survive."

Saffron turned to leave.

"Please Saffron, I'm begging you. Don't take the kids."

"That's Mist's daughter. I know it. I won't leave her to be taken."

* * *

Nora, crying in her sleep again, woke Ren, who placed his hand over hers. Slowly Nora's breathing slowed. She sighed and snored gently.

Ren heard a light tapping at the door. He crept to the peephole and looked out. Saffron stood outside, glancing from side to side.

"Come on, kid, hurry up. Let me in."

Ren opened the door.

"I know that I said you had until morning to make a decision, but we need to leave now. It seems that the leader of a bandit tribe has taken an interest in Nora. The innkeeper likely has already sent word to the tribe. Either we fight our way out in the morning, or we leave now. I'm all for a good fight, but with two kids in tow, I'd rather do this the easy way."

* * *

Saffron and the two children crept quietly through the inn. A few men remained at tables, sleeping off a night of drinking. Mist pointed at the men and put a finger to her lips. Nora and Ren nodded.

As the trio emerged from the inn, two dark-haired men, twins, and a platinum-blonde woman emerged from the side of the building. The men wore the rugged clothes of lower-ranking bandits. The woman wore the dress of a huntress. Her dark asymmetrical, purple tunic fell from a leather strap over one shoulder stopping just short of her mid-thigh. Black boots reached a few inches above her knees. A black belt, slung low around her waist, held holsters for two pistols. Long, black leather gloves held two sets of throwing knives.

"Hello Saffron." said the woman.

"Hello, Iris." said Saffron. "Nora, Ren, please, get behind me."

Saffron pulled her staff from her cloak, unfolding it to it's full length.

"You know why we're here. We can't let you take the child."

"Are you going to stop me?," said Saffron as the two men circled Saffron and the children.

The three bandits charged Saffron from opposite directions

Saffron held her staff vertical to the ground, closed her eyes in concentration and cast a golden, transparent orb around the three of them. "Don't move. Stay right here," she said to Nora and Ren.

Saffron charged out of the golden orb, leaving Ren and Nora behind the golden shield.

Saffron pointed her staff at the bandits. She twirled the staff creating a glowing golden disk, deflecting bullets from the mens' revolvers. Nora and Ren watched helplessly from inside the golden orb. Saffron rolled, dodged and acrobatically deflected the attacks from the two men until she successfully knocked down each of the twins, their black auras flickering and fading. Saffron kicked each man in the head, rendering them unconscious.

Iris charged at Saffron, pistols firing. At melee range, she flipped her pistols extending two daggers. Saffron swung her staff to catch the daggers. Iris dropped to her knees, sliding beneath Saffron's staff.

Saffron caught the edge of Iris's belt with the end of her staff as she slid past and slung Iris into a tree. Iris flipped in mid-air, kicked off the tree and charged again. Saffron held her staff up and caught the sharp edges of Iris's daggers. The shield around Ren and Nora flickered as Saffron created a golden shield around her staff, planted her back foot into the ground firmly, creating an deep indentation, and thrust her staff forward, throwing Iris tumbling backwards. Iris hit the ground with an audible thud, her purple aura flickered and faded.

Iris pushed herself up to her elbows. Saffron kicked Iris in the head. Iris fell back to the ground, unconscious.

The golden shield around Ren and Nora dissipated.

"That was the easy way?" asked Nora.

"Yeah, kid. That was a lot easier than what they'll be sending in the morning. Iris is still young. If they'd sent a more experienced huntress, or several, we might not have fared as well."

Saffron sat down on the ground, panting. "Dual aura projection takes a lot out of me. I need a minute to catch my breath and then we'll keep moving."

* * *

"You disappoint me, Sable. Now…" she said tapping her fingers on the bar. "Should I punish you, or will you find a way to make this up to me?"

"I promise, Violet, I am still loyal to you. Many people pass through this inn. We can still work together. I had no idea they would sneak out in the middle of the night."

"I will give you one. more. chance. You may still be of use to me. Don't make me regret this."

* * *

A toddler sat on the edge of her mother, Mist's, bed. Mist hummed as she folded clothes and put them into a backpack. She tucked her light silver hair behind her ear and smiled at her giggling baby girl. She gazed into her daughter's aquamarine eyes that mirrored her own, picked her up, cradling her in her arms.

"I'll miss my baby girl so much. I wish I didn't have to go.," the woman said as she set Nora down, folded pages or paper and slipped them inside an envelope. She placed the envelope carefully into her backpack.

"This will be a quick mission. I just have to deliver this message. I'll be home in a few days. You'll get to stay with Grandma Rose. You two will have so much fun together while I'm gone."

"I'll miss you, mommy. Come home soon? Promise?"

"How much will you miss me?" said the mother, smiling.

"I'll miss you this much!" the toddler said stretching her arms wide and smiling.

"I'll miss you even more. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll think of you every minute, my precious Nora."

Nora reached for Mist's necklace. A sliver lightning bolt hung from a black leather cord.

"Make the lights, mommy!"

"Okay, one more before I leave."

The mother cupped an empty crystal orb in her hands. Sparks danced inside the orb moving from one palm to the other, creating arcs of light. Do you want to touch it?"

Nora reached out and touched the softly glowing glass orb enclosing a maelstrom of lightning held in Mist's hands.

"Look in the mirror, baby girl."

Nora looked at Mist's dressing table and laughed. Her auburn hair stood straight up with static electricity.

"More tricks! More! Please!"

"Last one, then we go to Grandma Rose's house. Let's see…something big. Let's go outside."

"Make the lightning!"

"Stand back, Nora. I don't want to hurt you."

The mother nested the orb between the wooden prongs of her staff, holding the instrument above her head. Her silver hair began to float with static electricity. She raised the staff above her head and released bolts of lightning straight up to a cloudless sky. the mother threw her arms open and the lightning bolts exploded into a brilliant arc of rainbow colors. Glittery dust fell to the ground like electrified snowflakes. Static electricity crackled all around them.

Nora ran under the shower, twirling and dancing as dust landed around her. Mist rushed to pull her from the shower, but as the tiny droplets of electricity touched Nora's skin, she laughed and danced with delight.

"Maybe you have a little of me in you after all," Mist said, thoughtfully.

The mother shot more lightning bolts into the sky, surrounding the two with a soft rain of starry dust, like fireflies on a summer evening.

* * *

Nora sat clutching her knees to her chest. "I don't know. I'm scared. Did we make the right choice?"

Ren sat calmly beside her. "My father told me about the honor of huntsman. I think we can trust Saffron."

"But what if the bandits come back? What if they find us?" she said, shaking and crying.

"It's okay to be scared; we face that fear together. I'm right here. I'm not leaving you. No matter what happens. We stick together. Remember? We are brave together."

She nodded and felt the fear fading as Ren put his hand on her shoulder.

"Saffron is coming back. It's going to be okay," he said, wiping tears from Nora's eyes.

"The path is clear ahead. It isn't far to my village. If we move quickly we will make it by sunset tomorrow. We'll camp tonight, but by tomorrow night, I'll have beds for you two. Are you ready?"

Ren and Nora nodded.

"Okay, tell me if you need to take a break," said Saffron, "but let's try to keep moving until we can get some distance from the bandits."

She stopped and turned around. "And whatever happens, whatever or whoever we come across, do not run from me. I can't protect you if you aren't near me. Grimm, bandits, anything scary. You have to stay by my side. Understand?"

They both nodded and Nora started to shake again. "It's going to be okay, Nora." said Saffron.

Saffron watched as Ren touched Nora's back. She watched as the fear faded and Nora's body relaxed. Nora wiped her eyes and looked up towards the last stars in the sky.

"Ah, I see," Saffron said quietly to herself.

* * *

Saffron, Nora and Ren passed through a small, bustling village. They continued walking for several miles. until they reached a clearing in the woods. In the center of the bucolic pasture, stood a cabin, a barn, a chicken coop, a horse shelter and a large vegetable garden. The cabin's window boxes overflowed with flowers.

"This is my team's cabin. We stay here between missions. It's our little escape," explained Saffron, smiling with pride.

"Saffron!" yelled a small faunus woman with creamy white skin, green eyes, her shiny black hair cut into a neat bob, and on the top of her head were two panda ears. The top of her head barely reached Saffron's chin as the woman jumped into Saffron's arms for a hug. Her cool, monochromatic coloring stood in stark contrast to Saffron's golden, tan skin and dark auburn hair.

"Yin Bai, these are the kids I sent word about, Nora and Ren."

"Everyone calls me Bai," she said, smiling. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Nora and Ren will be staying with us for awhile."

"That's wonderful! We haven't had guests for many months." Bai said, clapping her hands.

Bai was barely taller than the children. She wore a white silk shirt under a fitted black vest with knot buttons, stopping at her midriff. Long, loose black pants hung from her hips with embroidered slits at the sides. Nunchaku hung from a green fabric belt.

A tall man, stood in the pasture, brushing a white horse, wearing a daisho over a simple black and silver Mistral-style tunic and belt over loose cotton pants. He had black hair and light-beige skin, remarkably similar in coloring to Ren, with dark brown eyes. He looked up as Saffron called to him. Smiling he ran to Saffron as if to embrace her, but stoped short and took her hands in his.

"You have been missed," he said, gazing into her golden eyes before quickly looking towards the children.

"These must be the children your messaged us about. You must be Nora," he said speaking to the small girl with copper hair and aquamarine eyes. "And you must be Ren," he said to the slender boy with black hair and pink eyes.

"You are from Kuroyuri." he said to Ren.

Ren looked at Nora, and raised one eyebrow.

"I knew your parents," said the man. "You come from an honorable family. You have your mother's eyes." said Cosmos.

"This is my partner, Cosmos," said Saffron.

Cosmos bowed, "It is an honor to meet the son of friends and such a strong young girl."

A man stepped out on the porch wearing an apron and holding a frying pan, not as tall as Cosmos and Saffron, but taller than Bai. He wore blue jeans and a loose cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had tan skin, messy blond hair and hazel-green eyes. "I know y'all must be hungry, so come get it while it's hot!"

"That's Bai's partner, Hunter. Come on in and I'll introduce you. Then we'll feed you kids a hot meal." said Saffron.

* * *

The three would-be kidnappers returned to the bandit camp empty-handed.

Violet sat in a velvet, throne-like chair behind a massive oak desk. A candelabra cast shadows around the large canvas tent. Though a temporary dwelling, the tent was furnished lavishly. A large four-poster bed covered in furs and embroidered pillows lay towards the back of the tent.

"You couldn't retrieve one small child?" Violet demanded.

"There was a huntress." said Iris.

"Who?"

"Saffron."

"And why would a Saffron take an interest in this child? It seems I was correct when I identified something special about her."

"I don't know. She seemed like an ordinary kid to me," said Iris, shrugging.

"And the huntress was alone?" Violet asked. "Have I not trained you to take on one huntress? I sent three of you!" she said, slamming her hand against the desk.

Violet turned her gaze to Iris. "You disappoint me most of all. I expect you to lead those under your command. Where was your leadership? Where was your strategy? Have I taught you nothing?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I wasn't prepared for Saffron," Iris said, her head respectfully lowered, her gaze towards the ground.

"You must be prepared for anyone at anytime. Clearly, your confidence has exceeded your skill," Violet sighed.

Qahwa." said Violet snapping her fingers.

A man with cool coffee-colored skin, navy-hair, and pale blue eyes, stepped out of the shadows. The Huntsman wore a brocade tunic, leather, silk-embroidered shoes and carried a sheathed shamshir sword.

"Iris will be returning to her training before she embarks on any further missions. You will take her place as my second in command," said Violet. "Iris, return to your tent."

To the two assassins she said, "Get out of my sight. You're on latrine duty."

They each bowed and quickly left the tent.

"Qahwa." said Violet. "Find Saffron's location. Send a scout. Instruct the scout not to engage. Just locate the child and report back to me."

"As you wish," Qahwa said, bowing, leaving Violet alone in her tent.

"And Qahwa," said Violet. "I assure you that the stories of Saffron's abilities are not exaggerated. Warn your scout. Do not approach."

* * *

Ren sat on the front porch of the cabin, watching the sun rise over a mountain ridge. Cosmos, carrying two cups of tea, sat beside Ren, handing him a cup. Ren bowed in gratitude.

"Ren," said Cosmos. "Saffron has taken on Nora as her apprentice. Would you like for me to train you as well?"

"I'm not a fighter. My father never even taught me to hunt before he…"

"Saffron has told me of your ability to create calmness, expelling fear from Nora. This is an exceptional ability. Nora told us how you saved her life during the Grimm attack on Kuroyuri. This is your semblance, I believe. Have you learned about semblance?"

"Saffron told us that it is fueled by our aura, and that we must practice for it to become stronger." said Ren.

"Yes, that is true. Our aura provides the ability to harness our semblance. Our semblance is innate and immutable. With training and discipline, your semblance can flourish and grow. If left to languish, your semblance can fade.

Some semblances are similar, but very rarely exactly alike. Some find their semblances through years of training, others find their semblances suddenly, through necessity.

Ren, your semblance will protect you and those you care about from the creatures of Grimm, who seek out fear and anger. This is a valuable semblance to possess. But…there will be a time when you must emerge from the shadows to protect yourself or the ones you love. There will be a time that you must stand and fight. Would you like me to teach you, to prepare you for the battles ahead?"

"Before my mother…before the Grimm came…my father said that we needed a huntsman. I…I would like to be that huntsman."

"The training will be rigorous. While your semblance will not protect you in battle, your aura will. I can teach you to strengthen your aura, but you must learn the martial arts as well. Do I have your full commitment? You will respect me as your teacher?"

"Yes, Cosmos."

"Very well. We begin your training tomorrow. Rest well today."

"Cosmos?"

"Yes, Ren."

"I promised Nora that I would teach her to read. Do you have any books that I may use?"

"Come with me."

Ren followed Cosmos into a room with a wall lined from floor to ceiling with leather-bound books.

In the center of the room, a large table held a box of maps.

"In order to understand our path, we must understand where we have come from," said Cosmos, gesturing towards the books. "Some of these books are over 100 years old. You will treat them with care?"

"Yes, Cosmos."

"Then you may use the room as you wish."

* * *

Dear Professor Kassel,

While returning from a mission, I came across two children who may be of interest to you.

The first, a girl, Nora Valkyrie, I believe to be the daughter of Mist Valkyrie. Nora has been on her own since early childhood and has received no formal education. Her semblance is not entirely clear to me, but I believe that she possesses exceptional strength. I have taken her on as my apprentice and intend to spend the spring and summer preparing her for formal education.

The second, Lie Ren, is a boy from the fallen village of Kuroyuri. While well-educated and bright, he came to us with no combat training. My partner Cosmos has taken him on as his apprentice and after only a few months of training, Ren has already shown great promise. He also possesses an exceptional ability - one that Nora, relies upon.

Nora came to us traumatized after losing her family and left to fend for herself from an early age. In spite of all she has lost, she gains confidence and joy with each passing day.

I hope that you will consider both students for matriculation at Sanctum Academy in the fall. I can assure you that, as former students of Sanctum Academy, and as graduates of Haven Academy, we know how to prepare these children for the rigors of your prestigious institution.

I know that they have missed the application deadline and that they have no formal transcripts to submit. I can only hope that based on my recommendation and commitment to prepare them, that you will consider accepting these children to Sanctum Academy in the fall.

Respectfully,

Saffron Shaunaka


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Saffron, when you're done with Nora for the day, I could really use her help at the forge. That girl sure knows how to swing a hammer." said Hunter. "The horses need new shoes."

"Go ahead and take her. It's about to rain and I don't feel like sparing in a thunderstorm. She's in the library with Ren," said Saffron.

"Hey Nora," Hunter yelled. "Want to go smash some metal?"

"Heck yeah, I do! Is it okay, Ren?"

"I suppose we've read enough for the day. Go ahead." said Ren.

"I still love my wooden hammer, but I love using the one I made myself, too. I spent so much time making it the right weight and the right balance…"

"And the right decorations," said Ren laughing.

Nora blushed. "Yeah, it's kind of silly. It's just the first thing I've ever made for myself. I love it so much, so I had to put hearts all over it!"

"It's okay. I'm just happy to see you happy," said Ren, smiling.

Ren walked to the living room. Saffron was already there, standing staring out the window.

Saffron laughed as she looked out the window. "Look at our Nora skipping. Never thought I'd see the day."

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done for her, what you've done for us," said Ren.

"It's been nice having the two of you around, and not just for help with the chores. I think being teachers has been good for all of us. It's been good for the whole team," said Saffron. "Working together again. Our own little academy," she chuckled.

* * *

Nora grabbed her hammer off the wall of the work shed. She'd wrapped pink leather around the handle and tooled her name onto it.

"Oh no! Clover is still grazing in the field. I'll put her up before she gets wet," said Nora.

Nora ran to the field. Lightning streaked in the sky overhead.

"Nora, get back in here. It's not safe," yelled Hunter.

"I'll be quick!" Nora yelled.

A bolt of lightning reached down from the sky, striking the hammer in Nora's hands. She fell backwards landing flat on her back, then sat up shaking her head.

"Nora!" Ren yelled, running out the door.

"Don't touch me! Stay back!"

Her skin quivered and glowed, sparking with electricity. "You need to go back inside. It isn't safe for you. But I'm okay. I remember something. I'll explain in a minute." she said.

She took her hammer, found a large boulder, raised the hammer over her head, splitting both the boulder and the hammer in two.

"Huh. I guess I'll need to forge a stronger hammer."

* * *

"Are you hurt?" asked Ren.

"What was that?" asked Hunter.

Nora walked under the covered porch of the cabin. Bai and Saffron joined Ren and Hunter, waiting for Nora to speak.

"I don't know. I just felt stronger, full of energy. I wanted to hit something. I can't explain it. I had all this energy in my body and I wanted to let it out." Nora said.

"That should have killed you. You must have one heck of an aura." said Hunter.

"No, that's not it. I remembered something about my mother. She held lightning in her hands. She made lighting in a little glass ball. She let me touch it and I felt happy." said Nora.

"Your mother fought with a staff. At the end was a crystal orb," said Saffron.

"I remember the orb," said Nora. "The crystal orb…like a snow globe, but with lightning inside."

"Like a plasma globe?" asked Hunter.

"Yes," said Saffron, "But the electricity she generated was her own. She used dust, but that was just to augment her semblance. She could create the lightning even without dust. I remember she told me that without the orb, she had trouble directing the lightning. The orb helped her focus it, helped her control it."

"So her mom could create electricity and Nora absorbs it?" asked Hunter.

"That's makes sense," said Saffron. "Nora absorbs it, then uses it to fuel her strength."

"But at the inn, there was no electric charge," said Ren.

"You're right. Maybe Nora can generate some electricity of her own, like her mother. I'll be curious to learn more about her semblance," said Saffron.

"I want to do it again!" said Nora. "I'll need a bigger hammer. Can I use the forge, Hunter?"

"Sure thing, kid." laughed Hunter. "I'm lovin' that enthusiasm."

"Hmmm…I have some new ideas for your training," said Saffron.

* * *

"Violet, my scout just reported surprising news about Nora," said Qahwa.

"Oh, do tell," said Violet.

* * *

"Okay, Nora, Bai is going to hit you with her nunchaku filled with lightning dust. We'll see what happens."

"Are you sure?" asked Bai.

"I'm ready," said Nora.

Bai hit Nora on the thigh with the nunchaku.

"That barely tickled. I can absorb a lighting bolt. Come on, panda girl, let's do this." said Nora.

"Woah! Who is this?" laughed Saffron. "Looks like someone's gaining some confidence."

"Only Hunter gets to call me Panda girl," said Bai, doubling the amount of lighting dust in her nunchaku. "You're gonna get it."

"Her confidence has definitely improved," laughed Cosmos. "I think she's taking after you, Saffron," he said, nudging his partner in the ribs.

"Let's fight," said Nora.

Bai looked at Saffron. Saffron nodded in approval. Bai's green eyes flashed as she set her focus on Nora.

Saffron stood behind Bai and Nora. Ren, Hunter and Cosmos watched from the porch. Hunter passed a bucket of popcorn to Cosmos. Ren gripped the railing on the porch.

Bai twirled her dust charged nunchuku; Nora was weaponless. "Remember your training, Nora. You won't always have a weapon when your assailant does," said Saffron.

Nora stood with her arms up. Bai charged, swinging her nunchaku rapidly at Nora. Nora dodged Bai's rapid-fire attacks, dropping, rolling and leaning away from the twirling nunchaku.

"Stop avoiding her attacks. You need to practice taking some hits," instructed Saffron.

Nora stopped dodging, and used her arms and legs to absorb the electric attacks. She held her arms up, protected face and chest but flinched as she took hits to her sides.

"Good," said Saffron, nodding.

When Bai began to tire, Nora punched her in the chest. Bai skidded backwards, sweeping her back foot horizontal to the push to slow her movement, thrusting her fist into the ground, digging a long trench in the dirt.

"That girl packs a punch!" said Bai, laughing.

"Oh my gods, Bai, are you okay? I didn't mean to really hurt you!" said Nora.

"I'm fine, but you knocked the wind out of me. I won't go so easy on you the next time." said Bai. "Those kids at Sanctum better watch out."

"Right." Nora said, rolling her eyes. "As if."

Bai and Saffron smiled, exchanging glances with each other. Bai shrugged. "You never know," said Saffron.

Ren, watched the exchange, raising one eyebrow.

"Come on, Nora, let's get back to work on that hammer," said Hunter, standing up, stretching his arms over his head. "I don't think our egos can handle getting our butts kicked by a kid today."

* * *

At sunrise, Nora pulled on a simple linen tunic and pants. Ren's bed was already made. Nora looked out the window to see him collecting eggs, then heading into the main house. Nora climbed down the ladder leading to the loft in the barn. She fed the horses, milked the cows, then took the milk inside. Ren stood at the stove flipping pancakes. Bai prepared a tray of tea. Hunter scrambled eggs. Saffron, rubbing her eyes walked in the kitchen. Cosmos winked and handed her a cup of coffee.

* * *

Nora swung her hammer at Saffron. Saffron look a slight turn avoiding the attack. Nora charged again. Saffron hopped over the hammer and sat on a bale of hay. Nora charged, Saffron slipped her staff just above Nora's ankles sending her headfirst into the bale of hay.

"You may be strong, but strength doesn't matter if you can't hit me. Lose the hammer," Saffron said, leaning her staff against the barn. "Let's work on strategy."

In a green field, Cosmos and Ren moved in a tandem spinning dance of sweeping arms and legs. Saffron looked at Cosmos and smiled. Crouching, Nora swung her leg into Saffron's ankle, knocking Saffron into the bale of hay. "Ha ha, you got me," said Saffron.

"See, you are teaching me strategy," said Nora, smiling.

* * *

"Don't make me climb up that ladder…everything hurts and I'm dying. I'll just sleep down here in the hay," said Nora, her hair still wet from her evening shower.

"Too tired…can't talk," said Ren.

"Oh gods, I am so tired I can't feel my legs," said Nora, groaning as she climbed the ladder.

When she reached the top, Ren was already snoring. Nora collapsed onto her bed, asleep before she'd even taken off her shoes.

* * *

"Grandma Rose, I'm scared," cried Nora as the alarm rang throughout the village. Villagers screamed while running past Rose's home. Rose grabbed her phone, dialing Mist. "No signal." she said, slamming the scroll on the kitchen table.

Rose pulled open a cabinet under the kitchen sink. She slid open a false wall and pulled out a shotgun. She put Nora into the cabinet and handed her a bottle of water. "Stay still, stay silent, and no matter what you hear, don't come out. Understand?" Grandma Rose said, sliding the false wall shut.

Nora nodded, tears streaming down her face. She cried silently as she heard shouting, monstrous sounds, gunfire and screams for help. She buried her face in her hands. "I am inside mommy's glass ball, I'm safe," she said to herself.

She woke to silence, unsure of how much time had passed since the battle had ended. She slid open the false wall and climbed out from under the sink. Her grandmother's shotgun was on the floor in a puddle of blood. Her grandmother, gone.

She wandered into the streets, towards the center of the village. Bodies lay on the ground. Several other children peeked out of windows and crept tentatively out of storefronts and village homes. They congregated at the center square, wide-eyed and silent. Most too scared to speak, one of the older girls said, "We can't stay here. We have to keep moving."

* * *

After dinner, Bai brought out a simple, but elegant cake, frosted with a simple white buttercream.

Nora squealed with delight, clapping her hands.

"What's the occasion?" asked Ren.

"You both received a letter today," said Saffron, passing the letter to Ren.

Ren read aloud, "Dear Ms. Nora Valkyrie and Mr. Lie Ren, I am pleased to extend to you both an invitation to study at Sanctum Academy in the Fall. Based on the recommendations from your tutors and my former students, Saffron Shaunaka and Cosmos Tiān Lán, I am confident that you will both make excellent contributions to this prestigious academy. We accept only the most qualified candidates from across Remnant. We hope that you will join the select few to begin training…

"But I don't understand," interrupted Nora. "How did they even know about us?"

On our last visit to Mistral, we paid a visit to Professor Kassel. After viewing your training videos, he is very excited to meet the two of you. "This," Saffron said, gesturing to the letter in Ren's hands, "Is what we have been preparing you for."

"Well, we never said you kids could stay here forever, though you have been mighty useful," said Hunter laughing.

Nora stood up and bolted from the room. Ren jumped out of his chair. Saffron said, "Ren, wait. Let me talk to her."

Ren opened his mouth to speak, then nodded and sat back down.

Saffron found Nora in the back of the barn, shaking and sobbing.

"I need Ren. Where is Ren?"

"I know that you're scared, Nora, but you can do this. Breathe with me. One breath at a time. That's good. Slowly. Good. Keep breathing. One breath at a time." said Saffron.

"I can't leave. I can't be out there again." said Nora.

"Look, I wish I could tell you that you'll never face loss again, but we live in a dangerous world. You know that. You've lost a lot of people and you'll likely lose more. But you can do something about it. You can learn to protect yourself and the people you care about. You can try to make this world a safer place for everyone.

And listen, things are getting better for you. You've learned a lot this summer. You have an incredible opportunity. You're going to study at a school most kids only dream of going to. You won't be alone there. You'll be with kids your own age, surrounded by the some best huntsmen and huntresses in Remnant. Ren will be with you every step of the way. I've made sure of it. The headmaster promised me that he won't separate the two of you."

"But this is my home now. I can't…I can't leave you."

"You can. You are braver than you know. You are not the same girl I found at that inn. You can do this. This is what you've been training for."

"But maybe I don't want it anymore. Maybe I can't do it."

"It's okay to be scared, but don't let fear stop you from becoming who you want to be. You will be bigger and brighter than you can possibly imagine. It's time for you to go. You're ready."

"I'll be a huntress, like my mother?"

"She would be so proud of what you have become and so proud of where you are going." said Saffron, taking Nora into her arms.

"Okay." said Nora, wiping away tears. "I can do this."

* * *

"We're gonna miss you kids," said Hunter, tousling Ren and Nora's hair.

"Write us as soon as you get there," said Bai, hugging each of them.

"You'd better train hard. Don't make us look bad," said Saffron, wagging her finger.

Ren bowed deeply, "We will forever be in your debt. Thank you for all that you have done for us."

"No debt is owed. This is a debt repaid to Mist for saving my life. You are so much like your mother. I see her every time I look at you. She would be so proud." said Saffron.

"It has been an honor to train the son of Li Ren and An Ren. Perhaps one day when I have a son," said Cosmos, turning to look at Saffron, "you could tell him of your time with us."

"Or a daughter," said Saffron smiling.

Cosmos wrapped an arm around Saffron's shoulder. Saffron placed a palm on her belly.

"You don't mean…" gasped Bai, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Well, let's just say that I'll be taking breaks from adventuring for awhile," said Saffron.

"Well, congrats you, two," said Hunter, patting Cosmos on the back.

"Perhaps during Summer break, you kids could come visit. I'm sure that we'll need even more help around the farm by then," said Saffron.

"Oh, I'll get to make baby clothes!" squealed Bai. "And itty-bitty nunchaku!"

"And I think you have something for these two, as well?" said Saffron, nodding her head towards Nora and Ren.

"Of course! We have gifts, for you, too! Saffron brought back cloth from Mistral, so I took the liberty of designing some new clothes for you to wear when you leave for school," said Bai, blushing.

"We can't have you showing up to Sanctum looking like a couple of farm hands," laughed Hunter. "It'd reflect poorly on the team."

"You're one to talk," said Bai, poking Hunter in the ribs.

"Hey, I'm handsomely rugged," said Hunter, flexing his arms. "A man's man."

Ren lifted his clothes from the box presented by Bai. They were a recreation of the tattered clothes he had worn when he arrived at the huntsmen's farm, but updated, for an older child. "I met your family, too, Ren. I knew what colors to use."

Ren opened his mouth, but found himself speechless. His voice caught in his throat. Bai beamed at his reaction. "Thank you. This is perfect." said Ren.

"And for you, I wanted you to make you something fun, for the new Nora. Something bright and cheerful."

"Oh Bai, I love it!" Nora said tackling the petite faunus with an enthusiastic embrace. "I've never worn anything so beautiful before."

* * *

"Ideally, we would have recruited the girl before she ran into Saffron and her team, but since my huntress failed so miserably at her trivial task," Violet glared as Iris looked away, "we will move to plan B."

"Shall I intercept the children?" asked Qahwa.

"If it comes to it, yes, huntsman, you will be the one to collect the girl, and the boy, too perhaps; he is likely a valuable fighter after his time with Saffron's team. However, I'd like to give diplomacy one more try. Let us reserve force for when it is truly necessary. For the present time, however, I have new plans for the girl."


End file.
